Homeschooling IRL

It seems that we can't stop talking about sex! This week's episode is our response to Episode 16: How Do I Talk to My Kids About Sex?, where we heard from several young adults who shared how their parents failed or succeeded in teaching them about sex. This time we also respond to a few parents who wrote in to share their opinions on the subject. We return to the phone line with our friend, Barrett Johnson from I.N.F.O for Families and get more of his insight from his book, The Talks: A Parents Guide to Critical Conversations About Sex, Dating and Other Unmentionables. Lastly, Fletch interviews a public high school health teacher and learns something you might just find surprising. For complete show notes and links to what we discussed on this episode, go to our website: HomeschoolingIRL.com Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

HomeschoolingIRL is celebrating our 20th episode! We've interviewed, asked questions, listened, discussed, and laughed a lot along with you. Now it's your turn — if you could ask Fletch and Kendra anything you want, what would you ask? Join us for Episode 20: Ask Us Anything You Want for questions our listeners sent in and answers that are thoughtful, interesting, and as always, funny and a little quirky, too.   For complete show notes and links to what we discussed on this episode, go to our website: HomeschoolingIRL.com   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

It's time for an episode that's all about the men.     On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch talks with three other homeschooling dads about what they wish their wives knew . They discuss the trap of micro-managing, the pressure to perform that their wives feel acutely, and what they really think about making curriculum choices and attending homeschool conventions. They also ask the ever-present question, What exactly does it mean to be the "Principal"?   Be sure to join Fletch as he interviews Michael T. Hansen of The Great Commission Transmission Network, Shane Pitt (husband of blogger and conference creator Cheryl Pitt), and John Wilkerson of The Wired Homeschool. Then enter Fletch's TV dad quiz for a chance to win a $50 Lowe's gift card!   For complete show notes and links to what we discussed on this episode, go to our website: HomeschoolingIRL.com   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

What are you doing to prepare your homeschool graduates for life in the real world? A listener called into the podcast and shared a story of how his son had his homeschooled eyes opened at his first job. World views, coarse language, sexual innuendo were all present in abundance.   In a world full of opinions and beliefs that may stand in opposition to the sheltered world of homeschooling, how should we prepare our students to engage and relate?  On this episode of Homeshooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra interview four recent homeschool graduates and ask each of them how well prepared they were for life in the real world.   For complete show notes and links to what we discussed on this episode, go to our website: HomeschoolingIRL.com   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship. Throughout this episode you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. Be prepared for answers that you might not expect!  Fletch and Kendra also spend time talking and laughing with TTD conference founders and directors, David and Leslie Nunnery, about the challenges we've seen in our own marriages and some helpful ideas on how to preserve intimacy in the middle of family, life and school.  Pull up a chair and prepare to get real with Fletch and Kendra as we look at What Homeschooling Does To A Marriage.  For complete show notes and links to what we discussed on this episode, go to our website: HomeschoolingIRL.com   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Sex. The one topic that seems to leave us questioning our parenting, pushing a lot of us into an embarrassing presentation of the basics with our kids. We’ve discovered that so many of us don't like the way our own parents talked to us about sex, or we feel like they gave us no boundaries at all, and now we’re just stymied. Most of us think, "I didn't realize this was going to be so difficult." Join us as we interview more than a dozen young adults about how the topic of sex education was handled in their homes while growing up, and listen as return guest Barrett Johnson encourages us to raise kids with courage and boldness. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra discuss what it's like when your homeschool student abandons your family's faith and lifestyle. How can this happen in a Christian home where you have created a sheltered homeschool environment? Christian homeschooling is designed to protect our kids. Shouldn't our children turn out perfect? To answer that question, we interview a young man who has done that very thing, but here is the best part: after being raised in a rigid environment which he ultimately rejected, he is still a huge proponent of  home education and thinks his mom is one of the best teachers around! Homeschooling parents, this is an episode you won't want to miss! We may challenge you to rethink about how you listen to your kids, how to look for and complement their strengths, but mostly we will remind all of us how important it is to just point them to Jesus. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

What happens when a family goes from relying on rules and rigidity to understanding what it means when Jesus tells us that the grandest commandment is love? Chris and Wendy Jeub are raising (or have raised) 16 children in a home that has seen both the letter of the law and the sweetness of grace and love, and they're joining us to tell us how love in the family has absolutely changed theirs for the better. It's an episode you won't want to miss! Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Last fall, Barrett Johnson wrote a viral sensation entitled, How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home. Writing from his heart on a topic he was keenly aware of in the church, he never expected the speedy response he received from parents in the broader Christian community, many of whom were replying with a hearty, "Amen!" and  a social media engagement. On this week's podcast, we sit down to talk with Barrett and his wife Jenifer, and we discuss exactly what they mean when they say, "We work so hard to shelter our kids, but we can shelter them so much that we don't equip them to have a faith that stands out in this world." Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Tune into this light and serious, fun and deep discussion about grace and raising kids with author Jessica Thompson. You won't want to miss this episode! Great advice and practical suggestions are offered on this episode when we discuss: What do we do when a child seems unrepentant, or when we feel all of our buttons are being pushed, all at once? In a hilarious round of "Q&A with K&A" Fletch talks about how he would survive prison and Kendra discusses life in Downton Abbey. Tune in as we try to stump each other with a hard-to-answer, often personal question. Silly good fun.   Exploring Grace Together Giveaway on HomeschoolingIRL Other places where you can find Jessica: Twitter: @givethemgrace Twitter: @thejesslou Give Them Grace Website Dropping Keys Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Put on your crazy wigs and plug your favorite electric guitar into your amp, because  this show is all about rock and roll.   On this episode, Fletch and Kendra interview Brian Tompkins, an old friend from their days in college (and fraternity brother of Fletch).   Brian is a single father and one half of the Blue Eyed Maniacs rock band that he started with his daughter. When Brian found that his daughter Victoria was not putting in the practice required for her guitar lessons, he came up with the idea of starting a band. Since then, not only have her practice levels improved, but they have created giant memories and educational opportunities along the way.   Over the years, we have followed Brian's life through annual Christmas cards and we have enjoyed how much he enters into the life of his daughter. He is creative, energetic and not afraid to get down to her level. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we have. Rock on HIRLers!   -Show Notes- (Affiliate links below) The Blue-Eyed Maniacs  Ignite 6 - How to Start a Rock Band With Your Daughter 50 Dangerous Things You Can Do With Your Children Teach Them Diligently Conferences From the HIRLers Treasure Chest: The Prodigal God How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci The Reluctant Prophet   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

On the last episode we talked about boys. This week it's all about the girls! We love our girls and we love homeschooling them. On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, we’re talking all about girls. How does homeschooling girls differ than boys? Does college and career planning look the same? Should girls have a "fall back" plan, just in case everything doesn't work out? If you can expect anything from Fletch and Kendra, it's the desire to be very very real! Listen in to our discussion and then join us with your own thoughts! Episode 10 Show Notes Honda Odyssey  2to1 Conference Jesus Girl - Undercover Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

BOYS. Do you have them in your home? We do, too! On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, we’re talking boys and boy stuff and the funny antics that come with raising boys and the difficult topics, too. You know us: we won’t skirt the trickier subjects. Hal and Melanie Young, authors of Raising Real Men, join us for today’s episode, too. Parents of 6 boys, Hal and Melanie get what makes boys tick and we had a super time chatting and laughing together. Let’s get in there and talk BOYS!   Episode 9 Show Notes (affiliate links) Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching, and Appreciating Boys - Hal and Melanie Young's super helpful book on the topic of raising boys to be men Wild at Heart -  The book that made Kenj more willing to let boys climb ridiculously tall trees Calvin and Hobbes - If you aren't familiar with Calvin and Hobbes, where were you during the '80's??? Freebie eBook -  Raising Boys: 10 Simple Tips - Come and get it!  We wrote it and it's FREE iHomeschool Network - Friends of HomeschoolingIRL and a podcast covering the nitty gritty good stuff of homeschool logistics, from bloggers around the homeschool blogosphere.  

Live on location in Paris, France! One of our very favorite episodes to record, because in this show we record straight from the streets of Paris, France as we interview our former exchange student about life in the home of a large homeschooling family. Tune in as we talk about homeschooling with exchange students and discuss the benefits and potential challenges for families thinking about opening their home to international guests. Show Notes: La Favorite de Sam - the restaurant where we recorded the interview Sister Cities International America's Worst Photographer  Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.      

Merry Christmas from Homeschooling In Real Life! On this very fun episode, Fletch and Kendra discuss the real life issues of holiday stress and how to avoid Christmas burnout. They also get into the Christmas spirit by handing out several gifts to their listeners. Gift #1 - A New Website We are so excited to introduce all the HIRLers to HomeschoolingIRL.com. This is a great opportunity for us to connect with our listeners and readers directly. We will continue to host the audio for our podcast right here on the UltimateRadioShow.com, but our website will be the home of our new blog, our online store and an all-in-one location for listeners to connect with Fletch and Kendra. Gift #2 - A 100$ Amazon Gift Card This very easy contest and rules are located over on our blog at the new website. To play along, follow this link. Good luck! Gift #3 - A Pound of Coffee from Fletch You know how much Fletch loves coffee? I still can't believe he's giving up a pound of his very favorite beans. Listen to the podcast and play along with Fletch's Christmas Movie Quiz. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.